Hey there, fellow Warriors of Light! Have you heard the big news? Final Fantasy XIV’s latest crossover event is here, and it’s a collaboration with none other than last year’s hit action-RPG, Final Fantasy XVI! That’s right, the one and only Clive Rosfield, everyone’s favorite brooding protagonist, has somehow found his way into the world of Eorzea. Poor guy seems a bit lost and confused about how he ended up here, but his brief journey culminates in an epic battle that will feel both familiar and exciting to fans of both FF14 and FF16.
Now, let’s talk rewards. By completing this short but sweet questline, which runs from now until May 8 at 7:59am PDT, you’ll be able to unlock Clive’s iconic outfit (yes, complete with that daring chest window), a mount of his loyal canine companion Torgal, and even a minion of Torgal as an adorable pup. Pretty sweet, right?
So, how do you get started on this adventure? First things first, you’ll need to be at least level 50 and have completed the quest “Ultimate Weapon.” Basically, you need to have beaten all of A Realm Reborn. If you’ve already done that (and let’s be real, most of you probably have), head on over to Ul’Dah to kick off the questline.
Teleport to the Aetheryte in the Steps of Nald and then make your way outside. Look for a quest giver called “Neophyte Adventurer” near the steps to your right, in the general direction of the Pugilist’s Guild. They’ll have a quest called “A Land On Fire” for you. Snag that, and you’re on your way!
Chat with the adventurer about their dream (pick the Burning Wall option to speed things along), then teleport to Camp Drybone for the quickest route to your next objective. From there, head east and you’ll spot a wandering minstrel. Strike up a conversation, and you’ll be prompted to “survey” the area and look for something unusual. When you enter the first-person view through the spyglass, look down at the rock platform in the water with a little bridge. Right next to an orange bulb, you’ll spot a “Strange Man.” Bingo! We’ve found our missing pretty boy, Clive. Looks like he took a wrong turn on his way to Valisthea.
After a chat with Clive, you’ll be whisked back to Thanalan. Just keep following the objectives, and you’ll wrap up the first quest in no time. Easy peasy, right?
The best part about this questline is that as long as you keep your eyes on the gorgeous Clive, you can’t go wrong. Talk to him again to pick up the next quest, “Path To Recall,” and get ready for some classic MMO back-and-forth. You’ll eventually hop on an airship to Gridania (much to Clive’s bewilderment), and when you arrive, he’ll start following you around like a lost puppy. Head to the glowing circles around Gridania and keep chatting with Clive whenever you’re in one. Don’t worry, all the spots you need to visit are close by, so there’s no need to venture into other zones. In fact, make sure you don’t load into any other areas, or you’ll have to go back to the airship landing and find Clive again.
Keep up the conversations with Clive at each glowing circle, and eventually, he’ll overhear someone talking about Garuda, which seems to strike a nerve. After that, have a word with the Serpent Scout and make your way to the new destination (still in the same area, so just hoof it). Trigger a few more conversations, and boom! Quest complete. Now, it’s time for the really good stuff.
Grab the “Path Infernal” quest to start the final leg of this crossover. I know, I’m bummed it’s almost over too. Watch the cutscene that unfolds, and you and Clive will find yourselves in a dreamlike realm, face-to-face with none other than Ifrit! Not only is Ifrit the very first Primal you take down in FF14, but they’re also Clive’s Eikon in FF16, which he can summon for power and even transform into. Talk about coming full circle!
Ifrit will morph into their FF16 form (which is all kinds of awesome, if you ask me) and the battle will begin. In this fight, you’ll have two special actions at your disposal, and there’s a countdown mechanic to keep in mind. First up, you can use Clive’s signature FF16 uppercut, Rising Flame, to close the distance and deal massive damage to Ifrit. It’s got a cooldown, so I recommend using it as soon as it’s available.
The second action is a dodge, which ties into the countdown mechanic. During certain attacks, you’ll see a countdown appear in the center of the screen, like rolling dice. When it hits zero, the Dodge icon will pop up, and if you use Dodge at that precise moment, you’ll successfully evade the attack. But wait, there’s more! After dodging, the Dodge action will transform into a Precision Strike parry. My advice? Slam that button again right after you dodge to close the gap and give Ifrit a taste of your steel.
After you’ve dished out enough punishment, Ifrit will bind Clive, temporarily taking him out of the fight. You’ll see a defensive glaive appear along the energy tether connecting Ifrit and Clive. Interact with it to start a simple button-mashing QTE. Once you’ve completed that, Clive will rejoin the fray. Later on, Ifrit will rain swords down from the sky, and you’ll need to destroy them before their gauge fills up. Your damage output will be pretty low at first, but just wait for Clive to charge up his own attack, leaving the swords vulnerable. That’s your cue to finish them off! Aside from one more button-mashing sequence, the rest of the Ifrit fight is your standard FF14 fare. Dodge the glowing areas on the ground that indicate Ifrit’s incoming attacks, and make sure to use Dodge when prompted to avoid damage. Keep up the pressure with Rising Flames, and Ifrit should be toast in no time.
With Ifrit defeated, you’ll emerge from the battle with a new friend in tow: Torgal! You’ll be instructed to return to the spot where you first encountered Clive in the Burning Wall. Once there, follow Torgal as he tries to guide Clive back home. Since you’re at least level 50 (as per the quest requirements), you should be able to easily avoid any mobs along the way. Just don’t pull aggro, or you might lose sight of Torgal and have to start over. When you reach the location where you initially found Clive, he and Torgal will bid farewell and head back to Valisthea. Talk to the quest giver one last time to wrap up the questline, and you’ll be rewarded with a Metian Attire coffer, a Torgal mount whistle, and an adorable Torgal puppy minion. Just use them from your inventory to unlock them, and voila! You’ve completed the crossover!
